August 24 Weekly Brief!

You have less than one month to register for Biketoberfest and be guaranteed an awesome event t-shirt!

Last year's Biketoberfest was an unprecedented community event, full of fun and excitement for people of all ages!

This event was all that we had hoped it would be, as it inspired Charlotteans and visitors alike to open their minds to the joys and benefits of riding a bike around town.

"I wish this event would occur several times a year!"- Biketoberfest 2015 Participant

(Style on left is unisex, style on right is fitted/women's)

For just $10 ($25 includes an event t-shirt), you can participate in this unique, family-friendly event that highlights the excitement and ease of exploring our beautiful community on bike!

Click below to purchase your ticket and support biking as a form of transportation in Charlotte!

This event is for all ages and abilities. Kids are free (who register with an adult)! Click here for event details.

We're happy to announce our newest event sponsors! Queen City Bicycles will be supporting as a Silver Sponsor and Clean Air Carolina will be supporting as a Bronze Sponsor! We're proud to have their support of this event and our community!

With sustainable design at the heart of their mission, they believe that "if sustainability is to become mainstream and secure a future of growth and development free of the menacing risks associated with climate change, this is ground zero."

Click here to read why they chose to move right here to Charlotte and how they plan to "do our part in making Charlotte’s fast growth as sustainable as possible."

We look forward to partnering with Integra to advance sustainable development in our community!

Local residents like you play a critical role in ensuring we have the resources to carry out our work in the community to inspire choices that lead to a healthier and more vibrant community for generations to come! Click below to be the change and become a sustaining member today!

More and more North Carolinians are recognizing the benefits of riding a bike – for transportation, fitness and as a social activity. Our state has some of the most beautiful cycling roads and trails in the country, making North Carolina a great bicycling destination!

In partnership with WeeklyRides.com and NC Bike Law, we created Vote4Bikesso that our state representatives would understand how important bicycling is to so many of us and to educate voters about candidates’ positions on issues important to us. If the many thousands of people who enjoy riding in this state use this site to aid their election choices, we will make a difference! Click here to see your candidates' views on bicycling!

Share your opinions on Mecklenburg recycling!

The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute is helping Mecklenburg County’s Land Use and Environmental Services Agency (LUESA) learn about county residents’ recycling practices and preferences.

If you complete the survey you are eligible to enter a raffle for an Apple iPad! Click here to take the quick online survey now!

Walk to School Day registration now open! Register your event now!

On October 5, students, families, school and community partners, and mayors around the country will bring light to safety concerns, celebrate the benefits of walking, and mark a special occasion - the 20th celebration of Walk to School Day in the USA!

Walk to School Day event registration is free and open to individuals and organizations holding an October event in the United States.

Events that register on the Walk to School website, www.walkbiketoschool.org, will be displayed on an interactive U.S. map on the website, where neighboring communities, media and other organizations can identify who is walking in their area.

"Charlotte’s streetcar system hit the road a year ago and, so far, is ahead of projections in every way...The initial 1.5-mile segment running from Elizabeth to uptown that started running last July is seeing daily average weekday ridership of 1,601. That is 78% above transit system projections of 900 daily riders for what is called the CityLynx Gold Line." As the local voice for transit and sustainable growth, we were interviewed for this story. As our ED Shannon Binns states, 'while the economic impacts are extremely important, we believe the social and environmental benefits are of equal importance, especially as we witness undeniable growing social unrest and environmental disasters due to climate change.' We are thrilled that ridership has exceeded projections!

"As Charlotte grows more and more dense, one of the recurring questions is how best to connect roads and greenways to make sure everyone – cars, bikes and pedestrians – can move around. The Charlotte Department of Transportation is conducting a study called 'Uptown Connects,' examining ways to link up the city’s greenways and trails through uptown and the surrounding neighborhoods." Through our #ibikeCLT campaign, we've proposed that the City build a protected bike lane to connect Little Sugar Creek and Irwin Creek Greenways and City Council has voted to move forward with this! Read more and share your thoughts here!

6:00pm - 7:30pm @ Free Range Brewing, 2320 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205. Join us for an informal and fun evening of conversation and networking! Our Monthly Mixers provide an opportunity to learn more about us, our partners, and meet others interested in local sustainability issues. At 6:30, you'll hear from Sustain Charlotte Gold Partner Alta Planning + Design who will tell you about their sustainability efforts! You'll also hear from Jason Alexander, owner of Free Range Brewing, who will talk about their sustainable business model. SCCC volunteer Amanda Zullo will talk about how her initiative Pop Up Produce is bringing fresh food to Charlotte neighborhoods! There are no membership requirements and everyone is warmly welcomed.

12:00pm - 5:00pm with after party to follow. Sustain Charlotte will host this highly anticipated event in Center City and South End Charlotte. This unique event shows hundreds of people how easy it is to get around without driving! Participants will bike, walk, or ride transit to sponsoring businesses while collecting stamps in their official Biketoberfest passport. Stamps will be redeemed for raffle tickets and a chance to win many valuable prizes! This family-friendly event will end with an after party celebration with live music and an exciting raffle! All proceeds will benefit Sustain Charlotte, your community advocate for biking in Charlotte! Tickets are only $25 with an awesome event t-shirt included (or $10 without a t-shirt). Kids under 18 are free. Check-in at Triple C Brewing opens at 11am.

August 27: Eating to Support Personal Sustainability

11:00am-12:00pm @ Dupp & Swatt, 2424 North Davidson, Suite 112B, Charlotte 28205. Join Taylor Calamese of TC Lifestyle Fitness (a Sustain Charlotte Bronze Partner!) to learn how to make healthy eating apart of your life! This workshop will teach you the basics of nutrition, the economic and social relationship of food, sustainability of local farming and the best foods to grow at home. Entry fee is $15 and includes a start up "garden kit". Click here to register.

August 27: 5th Annual Tour De Turns

8:00am @ Carmel Road Neighborhood Park, 2365 Carmel Rd, Charlotte, NC 28226. This ride benefits Friendship Trays (Meals on Wheels in Charlotte-Mecklenburg) and its programs, Friendship Gardens and Friendship Kitchen. It is also meant to promote backstreets cycling. This is a cycling event for all skill levels. Learn more and register: www.​bikereg.com/tourdeturns.

August 27: Sole to Soul - Back to School Ride

5:30pm to 7:30pm @ Johnson C. Smith University, 100 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216. Kick the school year into gear with a leisurely bike ride through the Queen City! Bring your own bicycle or borrow one of ours! Bikes and helmets will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Anyone interested in reserving a bike must sign up through Eventbrite by noon on Friday, Aug. 26. The ride will meander from JCSU through the Historic West End and parts of Center City. It will end at Mosaic Village followed by a cookout and DJ at the Neighborhood Cafe. The event is FREE and open to the public, and is made possible by Charlotte B-cycle, the Knight Foundation, BCBSNC, Carolinas HealthCare System, Historic West End Initiative, 100 Black Women, Neighborhood Cafe and Johnson C. Smith University.

August 31: Community Karma / Friends and Family Event

5:00pm-8:00pm @ Okra / Gumbo The Store, 1912 Commonwealth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205. All yoga classes all day are just $7 and net proceeds benefit Sustain Charlotte! Join in from 5-8pm for this special and more from local vendors who will be offering great values. We sincerely thank our partners Okra Charlotte / Gumbo the Store for their support of our work and your community through this event!

4:00 - 7:00pm @ Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E 4th St, Charlotte, NC 28202. The City is working with a consultant to evaluate options to connect the Little Sugar, Irwin and Stewart Creek greenways and at this workshop,YOU will have the chance to provide input for this study! Please attend this workshop and let the city know that you want to see a safe, protected bike lane connecting our greenways and ultimately a network of protected lanes throughout Charlotte. We are encouraging people from all over Charlotte to ride their bikes to this event. Make it a group ride, make it a race, make it a slow cruise, just make it out on Sept 20th and let your voice be heard in support of safe, connected, world-class bicycle infrastructure! Click here to learn more.

September 30 - Oct 1: Carolina Jubilee

@ VanHoy Farms in Harmony, NC. A two-day rock and bluegrass festival highlighting Carolina Farm Trust’s mission; protecting farm land and fostering an ecosystem of sustainable farming. Enjoy live music, a beer garden, farm-to-table food, local vendors, and camping optional on-site. The proceeds from the festival are going to support a local farm, Mary L, in purchasing a pasteurization system so that they can sell their local, organic, free range milk directly to the community! Click here to purchase tickets and learn more.

MANY THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS

Is your company interested in joining the Sustain Charlotte Partner Network? Our generous partners play a critical role in supporting our work. Through our corporate membership program, we provide year-round brand exposure, positive publicity, and business development opportunities to those businesses and nonprofits that are helping make our community more sustainable through their products, services, or commitment to move their organization towards greater sustainability. Become a partner today!